Kyrie Irving isn’t pretending the noise around his future with the Dallas Mavericks doesn’t exist. He heard the rumors, knows the questions are coming, and on Saturday he addressed the uncertainty head-on as training camp opened before the team’s trip to Macau for preseason games against the Houston Rockets.
“I wish a lot of that was under my control, but I think it’s a collaborative effort here," Irving started. "...
There is a disparity in age; everyone likes to make a big deal out of it... My focus is continuing to develop, continue to put my best foot forward with these guys...
We’re trying to win. Nobody here is just trying to throw the season away and say we have no expectations.
We have high expectations for ourselves. I have high expectations for my guys out there...
It’s a figuring-out process.”
He was then asked directly whether he wants to finish his career in Dallas, and his answer stayed in that same lane: measured, honest, and not exactly designed to shut down speculation. Irving said, “I wish a lot of that was under my control, but I think it’s a collaborative effort here…There is a disparity in age, everyone likes to make a big deal out of it…We’re trying to win. Nobody…”
Irving also spoke about why he still wants to be in Dallas even after what he called a messy stretch around the team. “...
I’m not gonna shy away from saying it’s been a little chaotic at times, inside the locker room as well as outside the locker room... I’m in love with this place just because of how welcoming it was, not just from the franchise aspect but also the fans, lot of support around the city...
We’re building something. I'm not sure what exactly that looks like, I'm just going to be honest about it, but...
I'm just looking forward to building something new."
That chaos, of course, goes back to the Luka Doncic trade that stunned fans and still hangs over everything in Dallas. Irving even pointed to the Bucks game last year, when P.J.
Washington was at the line with a chance to win and fans were chanting to fire general manager Nico Harrison. Harrison was fired soon after.
For now, rival teams are keeping tabs on Irving and waiting to see how he comes back from his injury. If he looks like himself and the Mavericks still aren’t winning at a level that satisfies the outside world, the trade talk is expected to heat up around Christmas.
Irving said he doesn’t want that kind of chatter spilling into the locker room, but he also knows exactly how this works. He’s been through it before, and he understands the business side of the league. In the end, it all comes back to the same thing: how Dallas plays.
In Other News...
Mavericks Camp Suddenly Has One Big Santi Aldama Question
Training camp has already brought a fresh layer of uncertainty for the Mavericks, and it starts with Santi Aldama. The big man has been limited as he works his way back from an arthroscopic procedure on his right knee in March, leaving Dallas to manage his involvement day by day while the medical staff controls how much he can do on the floor.
Dusty May has been careful not to force the issue, but he has made clear what Aldama could add once hes fully available: a versatile center who can help stretch defenses and open up lineup options. That kind of fit matters for a team also sorting out roles around Daniel Gafford, rookie Morez Johnson Jr. and the rest of camp, which is why Aldamas status has quickly become one of the more important things to watch as camp moves along. [Read more 🡒]
Mavericks Bring Back Dwight Powell And Now A Tough Call Awaits
Dwight Powell is officially back in Dallas, adding another familiar veteran presence to a roster that already looks full on paper. The Mavericks have been working to keep him in the fold, and league sources say the commitment to bring him back comes with the expectation that the front office will keep looking for ways to make it work.
For now, the issue is less about Powells fit than the mechanics of fitting him in. Dallas already has a crowded standard-contract situation, so the next move will have to come from somewhere else on the roster, and that leaves the Mavericks weighing a decision they would probably rather avoid this late in the summer. [Read more 🡒]
Mavericks Rookies Already Face Two Very Different Early Tests
One rookie is easing back into the mix while another is already in the middle of a long adjustment project. Morez Johnson Jr., the No. 9 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, has been limited in practice because of left calf soreness, though he is close to returning to full participation. For a Mavericks team trying to sort out roles and rhythm early, his availability matters, especially with the club pushing a faster pace this season.
Sergio De Larrea, taken No. 25, has taken a different path so far. The guard has been leaning on veteran Santi Aldama and assistant coach Willie Green as he learns how NBA defenses are treating him and works to sharpen the finer points of his game, all while adjusting to a tempo that fits with his EuroLeague background. The two rookies are facing very different early tests, but both are part of the same larger question for Dallas: how quickly can this class start looking ready? [Read more 🡒]